Sunil Shah
CHICAGO: The faction ridden ethnic Indian umbrella organization, the Federation of Indian Associations Illinois, is facing prospects of dissolution.
The Circuit Court of Cook County Judge Peter Flynn has reportedly warned rival factions headed by Sunny Gabhawala and Sunil Shah to “resolve” their dispute concerning membership eligibility and election process within a month or he will have no option but to “dissolve” this nearly three decades old organization.
The judge Peter Flynn earlier on July 23 had declared the FIA elections held in December 2009 invalid ruling that they were not conducted in accordance with the articles of the incorporation and bylaws of the organization, but still wanted both the parties to amicably resolve their dispute in two months time ending September 24.
Efforts to end the dispute that essentially centered on the eligibility and qualification of the FIA membership failed and this seems to have induced the Judge to give the parties a last chance to sort out their differences and strike a compromised formula for new elections for holding fresh elections. The Judge has reportedly given a month’s notice for resolution of the dispute or face dissolution.
Sunny Gabhawla, the December 2009 election President, said that it would be a sad day for the Indian community to witness a demise of their umbrella organization that has been rendering yeomen services to its members and the community at large over three decades. “We have tried to overcome this intra-organizational problem bilaterally as well as thru good offices of a couple of community leaders, but with no avail. We are ready even today for settling this dispute thru mediation by third party. Hope wiser counsels prevail all over,” he said.
Sunil Shah who has successfully challenged the December 2009 elections said that the core of the dispute is voting by members who were not technically qualified or eligible. The FIA should be ridden of bogus and paper organizations for really achieving the objectives that the founders had set for it, he said. This is not the first time, he added, that the vested interests wanted to control this august body by hook or crook, and the time has arrived to put an end to this type of member manipulation, he added.
Well meaning community leaders like Dr Bharat Barai, Niranjan Shah, Mafat Patel, Balwinder Singh among others are willing to use their good offices to resolve this problem for the overall well being of the organization and the community.
Ramesh Soparawala
India Post News Service
